LODIS JOHN RTJDOLPH AGASSIZ. 1 1 I 



suggestive thought ; his language noble and fluent; his 

 knowledge of human science of the widest ; his manner 

 so charming, and his conversation so full of instruction, 

 that every one felt it a privilege to be near him. 



From that time Agassiz became the declared pet 

 of the Americans, and was one of the most popular 

 men in the country, and in intellectual matters became 

 one of its greatest benefactors, exercising his influence 

 in improving education, and in increasing educational 

 establishments. 



In 1855 he began to prepare for the publication of a 

 magnificent work — " Contributions to the Natural 

 History of the United States." In a short time the 

 necessary means were obtained by subscription, and 

 in 1857 the first volume appeared. Unfortunately, this 

 work only reached its fourth volume. The first contained 

 as an introduction the universally known and much 

 discussed " Essay on Classification," which latter, as a 

 separate work, was republished in London and Paris. 

 Agassiz treated in this work the questions of the origin, 

 development, and systematic arrangement of the organic 

 world, and developed from these his philosophical views 

 which he had obtained from his own studies and 

 observations, and which stand in direct opposition to 

 the theory of descent. 



Agassiz was, however, not destined to resume his 

 old habits of investigation and publication. The 

 will of Mr. Francis C. Gray established in 1858 

 a fund for the support of a museum of comparative 

 anatomy, and a liberal private subscription, seconded 

 by a large gift from the state, assured the future 



